2001 Audi A3 ENGINE REPAIR

SANSONE890

MEMBER
2001 AUDI A3

Engine Mechanical problem
2001 Audi A3 All Wheel Drive Manual 120000 miles

HI, MY CAM BELT FAILED ON MY AUDI A3 1.8 TURBO YEAR 2001 WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE THEY SAID THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN UP SO TO DISMANTLE THE ENGINE HE ASKED FOR £200 JUST TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE CAUSED!I DIDNT GIVE HIM THE GO AHEAD SO IVE DECIDED TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER ENGINE TO REPLACE IT WHICH WOULD BE CHEAPER TO JUST BUY ONE AND SWAP IT ROUND. THE PROBLEM IS I DONT REALLY TRUST MECCANICS SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ITS NECESSARY TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW ENGINE WHEN THIS HAPPENS OR IN MOST CASES THE ENGINE CAN BE REPAIRED?AND DOES IT REALLY COST OVER £1000 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AS TOLD BY THE MECCANIC?MANY THANKS

1 Reply

MMPRINCE4000

MECHANIC
8,548 POSTS

Cost is directly related to damage. If valves were bent and head cracked, then new head. If the pistons were also damaged, rings, bearings etc. Then it comes to a point where you may want to get either a remanufactured engine or get a low mile used one from a salvage yard.

I would probably go for the used engine. Without tearing it down, it is hard to estimate the extent of the damage, but a broken timing belt on an intrference engine can ruin the engine.